( P isum sa tiv um J the bean ( Faba v u lg a r is ) the tare or horse pea ( V id a s a tiv a ) the chick
pea, B3ngal or Chinna gram of this country, ( Cicer a r ie tin um ) and the lintel E e vum lens, alt
of them being extensively employed as food for both man and cattle. The seed of some other
species are considered poisonous, the seed of the bitter vetch (E r v u m ervillia , D.C.^ when
mixed with flour and made into bread are said to produce weakness of the limbs, and horses
fed on them become almost paralytic. The ripe seeds of the yellow vetchling ( Lathijrus
aphaca) are narcotic, producing intense headache if eaten abundantly, but when young like
green peas, are harmless. The leaves of Cicer a rie tin um secrete an acid which' the natives of
India collect by spreading a cloth over-night on the plant and wringing out the dew in the
morning. They then use it as vinegar, or for forming a cooling drink.
Tribe 5. P haseole.®—Corolla papilionacious. Stamens monadelphous or more usually
diadelphous (9 and 1.) Legume several-seeded, dehiscent, continuous, often with cellular
rarely with coriaceous transverse partitions between the seed, not separating into joints. Radicle1
bent along the edge of the cotyledons. Cotyledons thick, unchanged by germination.
Leaves usually trifoliolate, very rarely abruptly pinnated : primordial ones opposite.
This is a large tribe abounding in genera, many of which are extensively used as food, but
more especially Phaseolus, Dolichos and L a b la b (the old Dolichos lablab). Besides these many
others are employed either for food or medicine and a few in the arts. The roots of the-Goon-
doomunny A bras precatorius a common plant in this country, the beautiful black tipped bright
red seeds of which are so generally admired, are sweet, resembling liquorice, for which they are
used as a substitute, and an infusion of them'prescribed' as a diluent drink. The seed are in general
use by native jewellers as a weight, and almost uniformly weigh exactly one grain troy. The
young legumes as well as the seed of many species of Phaseolus or kidney bean are used as culinary
vegetables ; among these are the French bean, the Haricot, our Duffin bean, ( Phaseolus lu-
n a tu sJ as fodder, those of P . aconitifolius, P. trilobus and radiatus, are cultivated by the
natives: the pease are used by them as food, and also given to their Cattle as gram, the last of
these, and I believe P . mungo are indiscriminately used under the English name* of “ green-
gram :” several species of Dolichos are also in use, but the best known of'these is the common
horse-gram or coultie/D . u n iflo ru s ) so extensively cultivated in this country.
L ablab vu lg a ris or avaraykai (Dolichos lablab, Lin^and Ainslie) is a very valuable pulse,
and very generally much esteemed by all classes of natives who eat it, when young, pod and all as
we do French beans, and when more advanced the beans only. In Mysore it is very extensively cultivated,
fields on fields being seen covered with it towards the end of the year. The curiously-winged
pods of Psophocarpus (Dolichos) tetragönolobus or Goa bean, (as it is called here) also afford a passable
vegetable, so does the Sabre bean ( Canavalia g la d ia ta ) the pods of which are sometimes 18
inches long. Mucu n a pru rien s and M. pru rita both afford the well known Gowitch formerly
not unfrequentlv used as an anthelmintic, another nearly allied species/ the pods of which are
unarmed with the stinging pickles of the last, and of the genus generally, is cultivated to a
great extent in the Mauritius and Van Deman’s land as a table vegetable, and also as fodder
for cattle under the name of P o is n o ir e or black bean. The pigeon pea or Doll ( Cajanus
in d icu s or C ytisus ca ja n J is very generally cultivated as a pulse in this country, and is highly
esteemed by the natives. These are all herbaceous annuals or biennials ; but the beautiful
flowered E r y th r in a ind ica , so conspicuous On account of its bright scarlet flowers, attains
the size of a large tree, the light and soft wood of which is well, known under the name of
Mootchee wood, from being so much usfed by these toy makers, it is also generally used for
constructing Catamarans, and thé tree itself is employed as a prop for pepper vines.
Tribe 7. D albergie®—Stamens variously combined. Legume one or several seeded,
indehiscent. Cotyledons fleshy. Trees or shrubs, often twining. Leaves unequally pinnated,
rarely trifoliolate, or reduced to a solitary leaflet.
In its properties this tribe is very different from the preceding. Here we find some of the
largest trees, possessing wood of the hardest and most durable description, while others
again, of the same genera, are twining shrubs, some of them most ornamental on account of the
endless profusion of their beautiful white flowers, which contrast very favourably with their
dark green foliage: among the most ornamental perhaps of the whole are the splendid Buteas—
B . frondosa and superba, further remarkable for producing a gum corresponding in its appearance
and properties with kino. The seed of the former is much esteemed by the native prac-
tioners as an anthelmintic An infusion of the flowers of both these species dye cotton, previously
prepared with alum, a bright yellow, which may be changed by an alkali into a deep
redish orange.. The lac insect is often found on its young branches. The Punga tree ( P o n -
gamia or D a lbergia arborea) is; one of the most .ornamental trees that grows, and the seed
possess the rare property, in this family, of yielding to expression a fine fixed oil, to which the
natives attribute valuable medicinal properties as an external application in irruptive diseases.
The wood is white and appears close grained and firm, but is not so far as I am aware much
esteemed by the joiner. Roxburgh however says it serves for a variety of economical purposes.
The branches like those of many other Indian trees strike root readily when stuck in the
ground, and cattle are fond of brousing on the leaves, hence it might be usefully employed as
fodder. . . . . .
The bark and flowers of our M ille tia piscid ia , (Galedupa piscidia, Roxb.) have the
property, when powdered and thrown into water, of poisoning fish. D a lb erg ia sissoo affords a
timber “ tolerably light, and remarkably strong, but unfortunately not so durable as could be
wished. It answers well for various economical purposes; the color is a light grayish brown,
with darker coloured veins. Upon the whole I scarcely know any other tree that deserves
more attention, for, when its rapid growth in almost every soil, its beauty, and uses are taken
into account, few trees can be compared with it” — Roxb. D . la lifo lia yields the much admired
black wood so universally employed for making, furniture. Roxburgh observes “ on the Malabar
coast this tree must grow to an immense size, as I have seen planks from thence full three feet
and a half broad, and if we allow nine inches of white wood to have been on the outside of
these trees the circumference must have been 15 feet exclusive of the bark.” This is the
Sit-sal of Bengal, but is not so heavy there as that on the Coast of Coromandel and Malabar.
Some other species of this genus afford good timber. The only genus of this tribe that remains
to be mentioned in this hasty review is Ptevocarpus, that from which kino and the red Sandal
or Saunders wood is derived. The species are all trees of considerable magnitude, and those I
have seen of great beauty. From wounds in the bark of P . Marsupium, Roxburgh observes
“ there issues a red juice which hardens in the open air into a dark red, very brittle gummy
resin, on being powdered it changes to a light brown not unlike powdered Peruvian bark. In
the mouth it melts away like simple gum. Its taste is strongly but simply astringent as much
so I think as that of the gum of the Butea, which it much resembles.” It strikes a dark colour
with a chalybeate. “ The specimen of gum kino in the Banksean herbarium is perfectly like
this. It is probable these are the same or very nearly allied” Roxb. From the P . S a n ta li-
n us the red Sandalwood, a timber, chiefly employed by the dyers and colour manufactures, of
the present day is obtained.
I have not myself heard of the timber of these trees being much used, and Roxburgh
does not mention that of any except P . dalbergioides, which he says grows to an immense size,
having seen planks 4 feet broad of coloured wood, exclusive of the outside white wood. He
says it is not unlike Mahogany but rather redder, heavier, and coarser, in grain :e that of the
root is most beautifully variegated, I may say marbled, closer grained, and darker, coloured.”
Ainslie states that Vayngie wood P . bilobus or Marsupium, (thev are the same tree) is reckoned
• by the natives very useful “ it is of a redish colour and is employed in making doors and windows
and for other common purposes.” From the meagreness of these notices it would appear
•the wood of most of them is not much esteemed-or is imperfectly known. With these brief
remarks I close my account of this sub-order, but I trust enough has been said to show its importance
though not to give an adequate idea of its value to mankind.
Sub-order C ® salpine®.
This sub-order consists for the most part of trees and shrubs, rarely herbaceous plants.
Leaves abruptly pinnate, bi-pinnate or unequally pinnate, rarely simple or bifid, that is, composed
of 2 leaflets united towards the base ; often furnished with peltate glands on the rachis : stipule,
free or adnate to the petiol, sometimes armed. Flowers usually bisexual, sometimes unisexuas